Perhaps they are planning for a huge influx of population post 2010
the pole shift is coming!!!!
now where did i leave my foil hat

but in any case, thats one hell of a way to keep your people employed lol
perhaps they are going to be looking to make a shift to a capitalist economy resulting in more people wanting to buy and own homes?
or....
these cities are all built around coal or other natural resource(energy) sites for the whole peak oil scenario